Method of manufacturing contact lens

Abstract

A novel method for producing a contact lens whereby it is possible to solve at least one problem that becomes an obstacle when equipping a contact lens with a separate component such as an electronic element. When matching a component-supporting mold supporting a component to be embedded with a first mold, performing curing treatment of a first molding material, and thereby obtaining a primary molded article in which the component is inserted, the component-supporting mold is removed while curing of the first molding material is incomplete on the component-supporting mold side. A second mold is subsequently matched with the first mold in which the primary molded article is left, filled with a second molding material, and curing treatment is performed, thereby producing a contact lens as an integrally molded product in which the component is embedded.

1 . A method of manufacturing a contact lens comprising:
 defining a first molding cavity in which a component to be embedded is arranged by matching a component-supporting mold, the component-supporting mold positioning and supporting the component, with a first mold providing one of a lens front surface and a lens back surface;   performing curing treatment on a first molding material filling the first molding cavity to obtain a primary molded article in which the component is inserted, wherein, in a state where curing of the first molding material is incomplete on a side of the component-supporting mold, the component-supporting mold is removed from the first mold while leaving the primary molded article in the first mold;   defining a second molding cavity by matching a second mold providing another of the lens front surface and the lens back surface with the first mold in which the primary molded article is left; and   filling the second molding cavity with a second molding material and performing curing treatment, thereby manufacturing the contact lens as an integrally molded product in which the component is embedded.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein before the curing treatment of the second molding material, curing of the first molding material is completed. 
     
     
         3 . A method of manufacturing a contact lens comprising:
 defining a first molding cavity by matching a component-supporting mold with a first mold providing one of a lens front surface and a lens back surface;   performing curing treatment on a first molding material within the first molding cavity to obtain a primary molded article in which a component to be embedded, the component being positioned and supported by the component-supporting mold, is inserted;   after removing the component-supporting mold from the first mold while leaving the primary molded article in the first mold, defining a second molding cavity by matching a second mold providing another of the lens front surface and the lens back surface with the first mold; and   performing curing treatment on a second molding material within the second molding cavity thereby manufacturing the contact lens as an integrally molded product in which the component is embedded, wherein   the component-supporting mold includes:   a support part positioning and supporting the component on a cavity forming surface of the first molding cavity; and   a flexible portion provided to a wall defining the first molding cavity, the flexible portion being allowed to deform due to shrinkage of the first molding material during polymerization molding.   
     
     
         4 . A method of manufacturing a contact lens comprising:
 defining a first molding cavity by matching a component-supporting mold with a first mold providing one of a lens front surface and a lens back surface;   performing curing treatment on a first molding material within the first molding cavity to obtain a primary molded article in which a component to be embedded, the component being positioned and supported by the component-supporting mold, is inserted;   after removing the component-supporting mold from the first mold while leaving the primary molded article in the first mold, defining a second molding cavity by matching a second mold providing another of the lens front surface and the lens back surface with the first mold; and   performing curing treatment on a second molding material within the second molding cavity thereby manufacturing the contact lens as an integrally molded product in which the component is embedded, wherein   the component-supporting mold is made of a material having adhesion with respect to the first molding material smaller than adhesion of the component with respect to the first molding material.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first mold is a mold for the lens front surface, and   the second mold is a mold for the lens back surface.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a recess opening toward the component-supporting mold is provided at a center portion of the primary molded article such that a thickness dimension at the center portion of the primary molded article is reduced.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the component-supporting mold includes at least one of a concave engaging part and a convex engaging part positioning the component.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 when molding the primary molded article within the first molding cavity, the first molding material is inserted between the component-supporting mold and the component, and the curing treatment is performed on the first molding material with the component covered with the first molding material.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the component is positioned and supported by the component-supporting mold in an affixed state.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the component is directly formed on a surface of the component-supporting mold such that the component is positioned and supported in the affixed state. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the component is positioned and supported by the component-supporting mold without an adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the component-supporting mold is subjected to surface treatment to improve mold releasability at a cavity forming surface of the first molding cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the component is harder than a lens material. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the component is an electronic element including a metal portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein both the first molding material and the second molding material are polymerizable monomers that provide an oxygen-permeable hard lens. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first molding material and the second molding material are the same. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when performing the curing treatment on the first molding material filling the first molding cavity to obtain the primary molded article in which the component is inserted, the curing treatment is performed such that curing of the first molding material progresses from a side of the first mold toward a side of the component-supporting mold.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 after molding the first molding material and removing the component-supporting mold from the first mold, and before matching the second mold with the first mold, an intermediate molded article is attached to the primary molded article, and   the second mold is matched with the first mold in which the primary molded article including the intermediate molded article is left to define the second molding cavity, and the curing treatment is performed on the second molding material within the second molding cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein
 after molding the first molding material and removing the component-supporting mold from the first mold, and before matching the second mold with the first mold, an auxiliary mold is matched with the first mold in which the primary molded article is left to define an intermediate mold cavity,   the intermediate mold cavity is filled with a third molding material and curing treatment is performed to mold the intermediate molded article in an attached state to the primary molded article, and then   the auxiliary mold is removed from the first mold, the second mold is matched with the first mold in which the primary molded article including the intermediate molded article is left to define the second molding cavity, and the curing treatment is performed on the second molding material within the second molding cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate molded article is formed separately from the primary molded article, and is attached to the primary molded article. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate molded article is made of a silicone material. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a recessed part is formed at a center portion of the primary molded article, and the intermediate molded article is inserted in and attached to the recessed part. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate molded article is provided at a lens center portion, and an entire surface on a lens front surface side of the intermediate molded article is covered with a surface layer formed of the first molding material or the second molding material. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first mold includes a concave cavity forming surface that provides a molding surface for the lens front surface,   the second mold includes a convex cavity forming surface that provides a molding surface for the lens back surface, and   with the first mold opening vertically upward, the component-supporting mold and the second mold are individually matched with the first mold by being overlapped from above.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is for manufacturing a scleral lens. 
     
     
         26 . A contact lens made of an oxygen-permeable hard lens material comprising:
 a component to be embedded placed inside in a fastened state to the oxygen- permeable hard lens material;   an intermediate member arranged inside a lens center portion while being made of a silicone material;   a front surface layer provided to cover an entire surface of the intermediate member on a lens front surface side while being made of the oxygen-permeable hard lens material; and   at least on a lens center axis, the front surface layer has a thickness dimension smaller than that of the intermediate member.   
     
     
         27 . The contact lens according to  claim 26 , further comprising a back surface layer provided to cover an entire surface of the intermediate member on a lens back surface side while being made of the oxygen-permeable hard lens material, wherein
 at least on the lens center axis, the back surface layer has a thickness dimension smaller than that of the intermediate member.   
     
     
         28 . The contact lens according to  claim 26 , wherein at least an outer peripheral end of a lens peripheral portion is free of the intermediate member and is formed of the oxygen-permeable hard lens material. 
     
     
         29 . The contact lens according to  claim 26 , wherein
 at a position where a lens thickness is maximum, the lens thickness that is maximum is greater than 0.7 mm, and   a total thickness of the surface layers that are made of the oxygen-permeable hard lens material and are provided on opposite sides of the intermediate member in a lens thickness direction is not greater than 0.7 mm.   
     
     
         30 . The contact lens according to  claim 26 , wherein the contact lens is a scleral lens.